New Rig Feedback Please

[cabbot]

Please give me feedback on this new rig I put together with some help.

 

AMD Athlon 64 3700+ San Diego 1GHz FSB Socket 939 Processor

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?...N82E16819103539

 

ASUS A8N-SLI Premium Socket 939 NVIDIA nForce4 SLI ATX AMD Motherboard

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?...N82E16813131540

 

eVGA 256-P2-N515-AX Geforce 7800GT 256MB GDDR3 PCI Express x16

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?...N82E16814130247

 

2x Crucial 512MB (1 gig) 184-Pin DDR SDRAM DDR 400 (PC 3200)

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?...N82E16820146546

 

Maxtor QuickView 6L100M0 100GB 7200 RPM Serial ATA150 Hard Drive

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?...N82E16822144239

 

LITE-ON Black ATAPI/E-IDE DVD Burner

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?...N82E16827131419

 

SUBTOTAL: 931.99

 

Im still missing the case and PSU and Ive asked for advice in the proper forum section at http://forums.overclockersclub.com/?showtopic=60911

so feel free to comment there too. THANKS!

[Kash]

If you're planning on overclocking this rig, then I see a problem with the mobo. Should have stuck with DFI or at least MSI if you're considering overclocking. Heck, those two boards are better just for system stability and longevity as well.

 

The RAM you got for a pretty good price, but again, if you're overclocking, then there were better choices out there for that, such as Geil or even OCZ.

 

Other than those two caveats, that's a really good rig and at an amazing price too (especially considering a 7 series graphics card was thrown in). If you're not overclocking, you're going to enjoy the rig. If you are planning to push the system, then well, I guess you're going to witness some limitations that could have been easily avoidable. Sorry to be so negative, but it's just the fact of the matter

[cabbot]

::bump::

[kingdingeling]

have you bought the parts yet, or are you still considering?

cause if you don't have it yet, get a DFI or MSI mobo, and instead of the San Diego get the 146 or 148 opteron!

[Verran]

have you bought the parts yet, or are you still considering?

cause if you don't have it yet, get a DFI or MSI mobo, and instead of the San Diego get the 146 or 148 opteron!

586067[/snapback]

Ok... where to start?....

 

The proc. The 3700 SD is a great chip, I would agree on getting an opteron instead though. If you don't plan on OCing much, then it really doesn't matter, but if you do, then the opteron will most likely perform much better.

 

The motherboard. I would not buy that one. If that's the one that brags about 16x SLI and all that, then check out the thread around here that explains why that will make absolutely no difference. Asus makes it sound like it's revolutionary, but its really not. I would go with an MSI if you don't plan on OCing, and DFI if you do.

 

The video card. I have an eVGA 7800GT and I'm very happy with it. Good choice.

 

The PSU. Definately the 550 Antec. I'm not a big fan of Antec and would rather buy Tagan or Fortron, but the Antec is a very solid supply and of the three choices you listed it is DEFINATELY the best.

 

The case. I have that case, and it's definately a cheapo, but the layout is actually pretty nice. For a $50 case, I didn't expect much, but I was pleasantly surprised. Just don't use the PSU that comes with it. It's junk (mine even showed up DOA, as if I cared).

 

I think that's about all. Everything else looks just fine. Good luck!

[cabbot]

Someone told me to switch to this motherboard

 

DFI LANPARTY UT nF4 SLI-DR ATX AMD Motherboard

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?...N82E16813136157

 

is that a good deal?

[suchuwato]

Yeah, ditch the ASUS and go for the DFI... Much better.

Don't get the SLi version if you only have one card to begin with... Buy the Ultra-D and later you can mod it to run SLi if you want.

[Enyce2k9]

that vga & proc is somethin i might go for

[cabbot]

Yeah, ditch the ASUS and go for the DFI... Much better.

Don't get the SLi version if you only have one card to begin with... Buy the Ultra-D and later you can mod it to run SLi if you want.

586143[/snapback]

 

yea Im gonna go for the Ultra D, I dont see myself running two cards in the near future.

[Psychotic_god]

I say change that maxtor, definitly the worst SATA hard drive on the market. Try going for a raptor or a seagate barracuda.

[Nagash]

I say change that maxtor, definitly the worst SATA hard drive on the market. Try going for a raptor or a seagate barracuda.

586161[/snapback]

All HDDs are really quite similiar, there definitly isn't enough of a difference to brand one "definitly the worst". I say get whichever HDD you want as it doesn't matter all that much.

 

And another thing, we are now in the age of 16mb caches, thus 99% of the raptor's speed advantage is gone, and it is no longer worth messing with the high price / low capacity anymore.

Edited November 28, 2005 by Nagash

[Kash]

And another thing, we are now in the age of 16mb caches, thus 99% of the raptor's speed advantage is gone, and it is no longer worth messing with the high price / low capacity anymore.

586170[/snapback]

 

Individually, perhaps. However, once you stick them in RAID 0, then you see a much greater performance boost with the Raptors. Of course, you're still right with the price thing....